iPhone 12 Anyone else got scratches on the 12 screen

[CharlesShaw]

Very disappointed..got a small scratch on screen already. I’ve never dropped or put phone and keys in same pocket because I seen mkbhd review that it scratches easily

Sorry about the scratch. Here’s hoping it’s only noticeable when the phone is off and when you’re looking for it.

I’m also a card carrying member of the extra careful group that don’t use screen protectors. I got a small scratch in the coating of my X screen a month out of the box and just stopped looking for it.

I sent that X in for battery service last year under AC+ when it was not charging as expected, but Apple said the battery was fine, which it turned out to be true. However, they replaced the screen at no charge (under apple care) so I had a second chance to be careful and to improve my pocket hygiene.

 

[CandyCane23049]

I've only used a screen protector when I had a Blackberry Storm and it did nothing. I dropped my phone and my screen still cracked. After that, I got a 3GS and was caseless along with no screen protector, I did eventually use cases I believe when I got the 7+ and after that with my X, but I have yet to use a screen protector.

My X did screen did crack someway but not from dropping it. Honestly, I don't know how it cracked but I use my AT&T insurance to replace it, and after that nothing else happened. I think I might try a screen protector this time to see how it works out for my 12 Pro.

 

[Deinocheirus]

I have never used a protector. I am not hard on phones and never had a scratch issue in 11 years of Apple phones. Having said that,. maybe i have just been lucky. No doubt if i did scratch the screen then my thoughts and mindset would change and i would probably slap a protector on every phone I get from then on but until then.......

Nope, it is just normal to not scratch screens that can only be scratched with sandpaper during scratch tests.

 

[Nushka]

No I haven’t. I put a tempered glass screen protector on my 12 the moment the white film came off the screen so it’s been protected since the first few minutes I opened the box.

Some would say what I did was completely unnecessary but it’s nobody else’s business but mine.

Apologies if this is a stupid question but did you literally take the white film off and put the screen protector on or did you wipe the screen first, don’t want to wipe it if there’s no need. Upgrading my 5S to the Mini tomorrow so want everything to be as perfect as possible. Thanks

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Apologies if this is a stupid question but did you literally take the white film off and put the screen protector on or did you wipe the screen first, don’t want to wipe it if there’s no need. Upgrading my 5S to the Mini tomorrow so want everything to be as perfect as possible. Thanks

Not a stupid question at all. I think I wiped it and made sure there was absolutely no dust attracted to it before I put it into the template with the screen protector in it. I certainly didn’t put any fingers on the screen before applying it.

 

[Nushka]

Not a stupid question at all. I think I wiped it and made sure there was absolutely no dust attracted to it before I put it into the template with the screen protector in it. I certainly didn’t put any fingers on the screen before applying it.

Thanks I’ll give it a wipe over first and fingers crossed it goes on no problem first time.

 

[lordhamster]

Nope, it is just normal to not scratch screens that can only be scratched with sandpaper during scratch tests.

Yeah. While unfortunate that is happened so soon the laws of physics tell us there are only two possible causes:

• The phone arrived scratched and wasn't noticed till later.
• The phone came into contact with something sufficiently abrasive to scratch it.

The "I didn't scratch it, it just magically appeared" scenario is just not physically possible. SOMETHING must have scratched it.

 

[johnnylarue]

Slightly OT but I suspect people on this thread who’ve used their phones for years without a protector and “never had a scratch” have different standards for what constitutes a scratch. It’s incredibly easy to put faint micro abrasions in the oleophobic coating on these screens, which are absolutely visible when the screen is off but aren’t scratches to the glass, per se.

Some of us sensitive folk with good eyesight can’t stand the look of even the faintest, shallowest scuffs or imperfections on a screen, and a screen protector is really the only means of avoiding those.

 

[Runs For Fun]

No I haven’t. I put a tempered glass screen protector on my 12 the moment the white film came off the screen so it’s been protected since the first few minutes I opened the box.

Some would say what I did was completely unnecessary but it’s nobody else’s business but mine.

Exactly. I will be doing the same. I don't care how much they advertise the glass being more scratch resistant or shatter proof, it will get scratched despite your best efforts to avoid it. Tempered glass screen protectors don't bother me at all and I can never tell one is on because it pretty much feels identical to the screen glass. I'll always prefer to safe than sorry.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The "I didn't scratch it, it just magically appeared" scenario is just not physically possible. SOMETHING must have scratched it.

I am yet to see anybody ever say that.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Can you recommend me the name of your full screen protector?

I got the Belkin one installed by Apple but while it is nice, it doesn’t cover the entire screen and dust gets trapped at the edges and looks terrible sometimes.

I have used on from Spigen.com on my current and previous iPhones. I highly recommend it.

 

[lordhamster]

Very disappointed..got a small scratch on screen already. I’ve never dropped or put phone and keys in same pocket because I seen mkbhd review that it scratches easily

I am yet to see anybody ever say that.

You are right, nobody has ever explicitly invoked "magic" as the source of their scratches. That said, every single person posting about how "easily" their phone scratches always starts the same way as the OP.

• Never dropped
• Never in same pocket with keys
• Generally babied the phone etc

The implication of these posts is that something that should not be able to scratch the phone scratched it. Again, the physics says otherwise. Unless something with a hardness higher than the screen was dragged across it, the screen will not scratch. Obviously folks are doing something (or have something) that is abrasive to the screen unbeknownst to them.

I for one will be applying a screen protector to my Pro Max when it arrives tomorrow. Will be my first screen protector as I've literally never even had a micro-scratch...but my wife likes them and I just realized I got a 3-pack. Unless it somehow negatively effects the proximity sensor, Face ID, or the selfie cam I'm sure I'll like it.

 

[Bazooka-joe]

Slightly OT but I suspect people on this thread who’ve used their phones for years without a protector and “never had a scratch” have different standards for what constitutes a scratch. It’s incredibly easy to put faint micro abrasions in the oleophobic coating on these screens, which are absolutely visible when the screen is off but aren’t scratches to the glass, per se.

Some of us sensitive folk with good eyesight can’t stand the look of even the faintest, shallowest scuffs or imperfections on a screen, and a screen protector is really the only means of avoiding those.

So i consider all my phones to be scratch free. My 11 Pro Max was mint and when I sold it to a reseller last week I described it as mint. Now these resellers such as MusicMagpie and Rebuy in Europe are ruthless when offering you the full value of your phone. They will knock the price down for the slightest mark claiming that it is not "as new". I got the full asking price for my phone. If there had been any scratches or abrasions on my screen, they would have picked it up and reduced the offer.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

You are right, nobody has ever explicitly invoked "magic" as the source of their scratches. That said, every single person posting about how "easily" their phone scratches always starts the same way as the OP.

• Never dropped
• Never in same pocket with keys
• Generally babied the phone etc

The implication of these posts is that something that should not be able to scratch the phone scratched it. Again, the physics says otherwise. Unless something with a hardness higher than the screen was dragged across it, the screen will not scratch. Obviously folks are doing something (or have something) that is abrasive to the screen unbeknownst to them.

I for one will be applying a screen protector to my Pro Max when it arrives tomorrow. Will be my first screen protector as I've literally never even had a micro-scratch...but my wife likes them and I just realized I got a 3-pack. Unless it somehow negatively effects the proximity sensor, Face ID, or the selfie cam I'm sure I'll like it.

I think when people have discovered scratches that they have no idea of the cause, it’s perhaps from grit in a pocket or on a surface. I think it’s entirely plausible to notice a scratch and not remember it happening. I don’t take the risk personally as I know I’d be annoyed if I scratched my screen. I don’t care so much on my Apple Watch but have never badly scratched the screen on that.

As I have consistently said though, there is no right answer as to whether someone should or shouldn’t have a screen protector. It’s entirely up to the individual and whether they think they need it or not.

 

[lordhamster]

I think when people have discovered scratches that they have no idea of the cause, it’s perhaps from grit in a pocket or on a surface. I think it’s entirely plausible to notice a scratch and not remember it happening. I don’t take the risk personally as I know I’d be annoyed if I scratched my screen. I don’t care so much on my Apple Watch but have never badly scratched the screen on that.

As I have consistently said though, there is no right answer as to whether someone should or shouldn’t have a screen protector. It’s entirely up to the individual and whether they think they need it or not.

I can tell you one thing. Every single time I get a new watch... I always get a massive scratch on day one by banging it into a wall. After that, over the next 15+ years of ownership, I never get another scratch. Without fail.

As for smartphone screens. I often observe people putting their phones face down on tables. I suspect this is probably the #1 culprit as any tiny bit of sand or other hard material on the table could cause a scratch. Other than that, it must be like you said some sort of minute grit in the pocket/purse they are putting it in. I suspect that some people's environment might make them more scratch prone than others. Certainly someone living near a beach or a desert will have many more opportunities for an errant grain of sand to do damage.

 

[johnnylarue]

So i consider all my phones to be scratch free. My 11 Pro Max was mint and when I sold it to a reseller last week I described it as mint. Now these resellers such as MusicMagpie and Rebuy in Europe are ruthless when offering you the full value of your phone. They will knock the price down for the slightest mark claiming that it is not "as new". I got the full asking price for my phone. If there had been any scratches or abrasions on my screen, they would have picked it up and reduced the offer.

Fair enough! I can only speak from my own anecdotal experience, but virtually every time a friend or prospective re-seller has told me their screen doesn’t have a scratch on it, I’ve been able to find several. They’re very, very minor and would only show up under bright light and never with the screen on, but they’re annoying to me all the same.

Anyway, to each their own, but for me the $3 it costs to put a virtually invisible full-coverage glass protector on my screen is easily worth it for the peace of mind it provides. I prefer not being punished for a brief moment of carelessness or clumsiness rather than feeling like I’m babysitting a Fabergé egg 24/7.

 

[lordhamster]

Fair enough! I can only speak from my own anecdotal experience, but virtually every time a friend or prospective re-seller has told me their screen doesn’t have a scratch on it, I’ve been able to find several. They’re very, very minor and would only show up under bright light and never with the screen on, but they’re annoying to me all the same.

You've probably described what the big discrepancy is between people's personal experiences. I suspect that some people are just plain more sensitive to scratches than others. Where one person actively looks for them, others might only notice extreme ones.

 

[johnnylarue]

I can tell you one thing. Every single time I get a new watch... I always get a massive scratch on day one by banging it into a wall. After that, over the next 15+ years of ownership, I never get another scratch. Without fail.

I literally stopped buying new watches for that very reason. I only buy second hand now, as I’ve discovered that a ding or two can add “character” to a watch when it was someone else‘s fault, whereas the same scars only serve as grave reminders of my own fallibility when I’m the one who caused them.

I could probably address this problem with a year or two of therapy, but since my strategy is actually saving me money I think I’m gonna just stick with it.

 

[fchho]

it's funny seeing people complaining about scratches when they don't use any cases or screen protectors, lol
i did find a very tiny chip in a dust size on the stainless steel edge ( close to the curve) of my 12 pro out of the box, it triggered my OCD.

 

[AHDuke99]

I noticed a small scratch on my new 12 Pro screen yesterday. I've never dropped it either nor have I put it in my pocket with keys. I never had a scratch on my old iPhone X after 3 years of ownership. Pretty disappointing. Does Applecare cover this or does it need to be cracked to get the $29 screen replacement?